Assisted Living in the U.S. Costs an Average of $2,524 Per Month, or $30,288 Per Year, According to MetLife Market Survey of Assisted Living Costs.

WESTPORT, Conn. -- Assisted living in the U.S. costs an average of $2,524 per month, or $30,288 per year, according to the newly released 2004 MetLife Market Survey of Assisted Living Costs. The highest monthly average base cost was reported in Stamford, Connecticut at $4,327 while the lowest was Miami, Florida at $1,340.

According to the 2003 MetLife Market Survey of Assisted Living Costs, the average monthly cost of an assisted living facility in the U.S. was $2,379 per month, or $28,548 per year.

The study, conducted for the MetLife Mature Market Institute, identifies assisted living facilities as housing options for older adults that promote independence and autonomy. They provide services to assist aging individuals with daily living. The facilities can range from a small house to a large apartment-style complex, though most have between 25 and 125 units. The majority of residents in assisted living facilities pay privately or through a long-term care insurance policy. Assisted living facilities are typically not funded through Medicaid, although a number of states have begun providing payment.

"Assisted living is becoming an increasingly popular option for older Americans who are looking at different living options that provide both support and independence during one's retirement years," said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. "But, it is also becoming an increasingly expensive choice. Not only must consumers factor in the rising base rates for assisted living facilities, they must also find out whether there are any additional fees that are charged for services such as medication management or dementia care that may further add to the expense. Families choosing assisted living as an option are cautioned to investigate the "hidden costs" for services that may be needed in the present or the future."

Here are the monthly costs for various regions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia:

Statewide, AK                       $3,757
Birmingham, AL                      $2,441
Montgomery, AL                      $2,073
Little Rock, AR                     $2,011
Phoenix, AZ                         $1,498
Tucson, AZ                          $2,057
Los Angeles, CA                     $2,011
San Diego, CA                       $2,103
San Francisco, CA                   $2,630
Denver, CO                          $2,056
Colorado Springs, CO                $1,779
Hartford, CT                        $3,146
Stamford, CT                        $4,327
Washington, DC                      $3,920
Wilmington, DE                      $3,782
Jacksonville, FL                    $1,788
Orlando, FL                         $2,000
Miami, FL                           $1,340
Alpharetta, GA                      $2,638
Atlanta, GA                         $2,535
Honolulu, HI                        $3,112
Des Moines, IA                      $2,139
Boise, ID                           $2,317
Highland Park, IL                   $3,542
Chicago, IL                         $2,572
Peoria, IL                          $2,008
Fort Wayne, IN                      $2,638
Indianapolis, IN                    $2,047
Wichita, KS                         $2,347
Louisville, KY                      $2,438
Lexington, KY                       $2,372
New Orleans, LA                     $2,418
Shreveport, LA                      $1,907
Worcester, MA                       $3,110
Boston, MA                          $3,424
Silver Spring, MD                   $3,718
Baltimore, MD                       $3,136
Brunswick, ME                       $3,144
Detroit, MI                         $2,398
Grand Rapids, MI                    $2,254
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN            $2,651
Rochester, MN                       $2,425
St. Louis, MO                       $2,401
Kansas City, MO                     $2,022
Jackson, MS                         $2,121
Billings, MT                        $2,339
Raleigh/Durham, NC                  $2,735
Charlotte, NC                       $3,256
Fargo, ND                           $1,516
Omaha, NE                           $2,746
Manchester, NH                      $3,204
Cherry Hill, NJ                     $3,156
Bridgewater, NJ                     $3,263
Albuquerque, NM                     $2,327
Las Vegas, NV                       $2,247
New York, NY                        $3,098
Syracuse, NY                        $2,365
Rochester, NY                       $2,420
Columbus, OH                        $2,953
Cleveland, OH                       $2,915
Cincinnati, OH                      $2,379
Oklahoma City, OK                   $2,039
Tulsa, OK                           $2,507
Portland, OR                        $2,478
Eugene, OR                          $2,277
Pittsburgh, PA                      $1,789
Scranton, PA                        $1,866
Philadelphia, PA                    $2,709
Providence, RI                      $2,224
Columbia, SC                        $1,898
Charleston, SC                      $2,322
Rapid City, SD                      $2,055
Nashville, TN                       $2,373
Memphis, TN                         $2,166
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX               $2,361
Houston, TX                         $2,620
Austin, TX                          $2,750
Salt Lake City, UT                  $2,046
Arlington, VA                       $3,345
Richmond, VA                        $2,432
Burlington, VT                      $2,341
Seattle, WA                         $2,762
Spokane, WA                         $2,389
Milwaukee, WI                       $2,798
Madison, WI                         $2,684
Statewide, WV                       $2,276
Statewide, WY                       $2,006
Average                             $2,524

(*) Rates rounded to the nearest dollar.
(*) There may be extra charges for ADL assistance beyond the base
    rate, or for Alzheimer's disease or related conditions.

Services included in the base price of an assisted living facility are usually limited to two to three meals per day, assistance with Activities of Daily Living, social activities, medication management, laundry and housekeeping. Additional fees may be charged for services such as an increase in frequency and time for personal care, laundry needs over and above the basic service, meals delivered to the living quarters and dementia care.

There are more than 36,000 assisted living facilities in the U.S. containing more than 910,000 units, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. The National Center for Assisted Living reports that roughly one million Americans live in these facilities; the typical resident is an 83-year-old woman requiring assistance with 1.7 Activities of Daily Living.

The MetLife Market Survey of Assisted Living Facilities was conducted in August 2004 by telephone in 87 major markets in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Ten facilities, or 15 percent (whichever was greater), were surveyed in each market, except for Washington, D.C., where only five were polled. All facilities surveyed were licensed according to each state's standards for licensure. These included freestanding as well as multi-level complexes and did not include continuing care retirement communities.

The MetLife Mature Market Institute is MetLife's information and policy resource center on issues related to aging, retirement, long-term care and the mature market. The Institute, staffed by gerontologists, provides research, training and education, consultation and information to support MetLife, its corporate customers and business partners. For more information and a copy of the study, please visit the Institute's Web site at www.maturemarketinstitute.com.

MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), is a leading provider of insurance and other financial services to individual and institutional customers. The MetLife companies serve individuals in approximately 13 million households in the U.S. and provide benefits to 37 million employees and family members through their plan sponsors. Outside the U.S., the MetLife companies serve approximately 8 million customers through direct insurance operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay. For more information about MetLife, please visit the company's Web site at www.metlife.com.